Fiji Ranks High In UN Peacekeeping Contributions

Fiji Ranks High In U.N. Peacekeeping Missions
Contributors

UNITED NATIONS - While the
United Nations fact-finding mission to Fiji is still
drafting its report for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, it's
still not clear whether the UN will ask Suva's government to
withdraw its troops from UN peace operations, as asked by
Australia and New Zealand.

Last February, Fiji's
government announced it was deploying 92 soldiers to UN
missions in Sinai and Sudan. The decision caused a flurry
of activity at the United Nations – as previously reported
by Scoop – and forced the Secretary-General to act
quickly with a fact-finding mission. But all the frenzy has
not yet produced an official decision on Fiji'standing as a
contributor in UN operations – the fact-finding mission
ended its work on April 27.

But what is Fiji's real
standing as a UN contributor? According to a recent report
by the United Nations' Department of Peacekeeping
Operations (DPKO), published April 30, 2007, Fiji
contributes with a total of 292 units to UN peace missions,
more than Australia and New Zealand together – Australia
counts 107 units, while New Zealand only 40.

The
island ranks 48th in DPKO's Raking of Military and Police
Contributions to UN Operations, well above Australia (67th)
and New Zealand (80th).

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